07/02/2008 23:39:16

Why can't it be both sport and art.  I've heard that when it became a part of the Olympics that the Chinese team didn't even know that TKD was a martial art.  They knew a few basic kicks and how to dodge being kicked at and away they went.  It wasn't until later when a demo team toured China that they saw that it much more to offer.  BTW TKD is sweeping over China, they just can't get enough of it.  Unless I'm wrong a martial art is a training system for unarmed combat.  In that sense it is no different than boxing, or Muay Thai, etc, etc.  A sport to me is a competition performed within a set of rules.  A number of systems don't fall in this category, Krav Maga comes to mind as does Kempo.  I could be wrong but I never heard of a tournament that was adhering to a Krav Maga rules set.  
IMHO TKD, Boxing, Muay Thai, Karate, WuShu, Judo, etc, all qualify as viable hand to hand fighting systems...Martial Arts.  Each has also laid out a protective rule set for those who want to compete against other practitioners...sport.  Each of these can stand on its own.  You can be a great TKDist and never compete completely ignore the sport side of the art or be a TKD champion and know nothing but a quick roundhouse and how to evade.  The question that everyone should ask themself is what do you expect from your training.

07/02/2008 12:12:55

Quote: If you practise Taekwondo to become a champion or only for competition you will be unable to remain in Taekwondo for your lifetime.

i disagree.  not just tkd, but in other martial arts and other sports, it's often the ones who made it big who remain active in teaching and training over the years.  look at history of any martial arts.  those schools that were big and lasted for generations are the ones with masters who were better than masters from other school, because the weaker ones either got merged or students left to join the school with better master.  perception and method may have changed over the years, but the basic idea still remains the same.   

07/02/2008 08:05:37

Sandamal, you have an interesting blog here.  I think that everyone who is in an activity like TKD or something similar go through something like this, I know I have. I'm only go to speak from my presepective and I know there are others who have different ideas.  One of the many things that has been driven into me since I first started TKD is courtsey, integrety, persaverance, self-control and indomnitable spirit, the five tenants. Even if I have to give up practicing I know that i will live the rest of life with those in my mind, that has been part of my training.  I do train for competition, trying to get into better shape, but I never thought when considering joining a martial art about the path to enlightenment. I was looking for something that would help my excersie and loose weight.  I have personally gain more from it but to a level of spirituality. 

One thing to consider, is that different branches, ITF, WTF ect. focus on different aspects of the art.  SOme schools focus on having trophies to display others don't allow students to compete, it's what ever their mission is.  It's not all bad nor all good.  Bruce Lee, who some will say is the best martial artist to live, once said that forms are useless and that people should only train what will help them in a fight, punches, kicks and combos. But he had a method to his training and fighting and boxing, wrestling and other phyiscal sports are very similar. 

Your question, "How can a man become clam, peaceful and develop spirituality through practising to KILL another man?"  There is a confidence that grows as skills develope, this is true in any aspect of life, in the MA persepective, not many people are able or willing to take another life.  I personally have never praticed anything that just to kill a person. I know that if I do some moves wrong that they can seriously hurt or even kill someone but that is not the main obejctive.  Everything I pratice is so that I can quickly stun, disarm or temporarly stop someone to be able to get to safety.  People do have a calm and peaceful sense about themselves when they know they can defend themselves.